Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the airways and lung, causing attacks characterized by wheezing and shortness of breath. Around 5% of the population in the United States suffers from asthma, with the prevalence of this disease continuing to rise. The most common method to deliver asthma medications to patients is metered dose inhalers (MDIs). Traditional MDIs using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) will soon be phased out due to CFCs' ozone-depleting effect; a new class of propellants is being developed to replace CFCs. However, MDIs in general are not optimal for asthma treatment because of (1) the difficulty in coordinating actuation and inspiration, (2) excessively large particle size of generated aerosols inadequate for delivery to therapeutically important small bronchioles, and (3) difficulty in formulation. Other inhalation delivery platforms, such as dry powder inhalers and nebulizers, also have significant disadvantages in treating asthma; they include dose form instability, inconsistent emitted dose, and suboptimal aerosol particle size. All current inhalation delivery systems contain significant amounts of excipients; excipients in pulmonary delivery may induce airway hypersensitivity. Thus, there is a substantial need for an environmentally friendly alternative to current delivery systems that is able to generate aerosol particles with sizes suitable for drug delivery to small bronchioles and without excipients in the formulation. Alexza MDC has developed a novel technology to generate drug aerosol of high purity. The envisioned inhalation device for asthma drug delivery will be breath actuated and aerosols with appropriate particle sizes for delivery to small airways free of excipients. The goal in Phase I of the grant is to demonstrate the feasibility of building such a device that delivers albuterol, a common bronchodilator, with high purity and appropriate particle size for asthma treatment using this technology. Successful completion of activities in Phase I would present a significant step towards developing an improved inhalation drug delivery platform for asthma treatment.